Warp-tension-locking mechanism for looms



A. E. RHOADES.

WARP TENSION LOCKING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

} APPucAnou mm mks. 1921. 1,427,636.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

h wenTon I Alohgo'ERhoudes Anya.

E. RHOADES. WARP TENSION LOCKING MECHANISM FOR LUOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1921.

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VTARP-TENSION-LOCKING LIECHANISM FOR LOSE IS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29,

Application filed. January 8, 1921. Serial No. 434,753.

1' 0 a?! w/tom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Amino RHOADES, a citizen. of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of lvlassachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in Warp-Tension-Locking Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in warp tension mechanisms for looms, and the principal object of the invention is to pro vide means for automatically locking the warp beam against rotation or let-off when the loom is-stopped. In looms particularly of the types which are provided with a friction let-off a uniform tension is maintained upon the warp during the operation of the loom, but when the loom is stopped for any considerable length of time the strain upon the warps overcomes the friction so that the warp beam is gradually rotated and the warp let off. This diminishes the predetermined tension upon the warp so that when the loom again started a thin place is woven in the goods before the predetermined tension upon the warp is resumed.

One ot the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide means which will prevent therotation of the warp beam during the stoppage of the loom.

A further object of the invention .is to provide a mechanism which will automatically lock the warp beam against rotation when the loom is stopped, but which will not release the locking mechanism until the loom is again started, so that there will be no slacking off the tension upon the warp by reason of premature unlocking of the tension applying mechanism.

It is some times desirable to adjust the tensioirupon the warp while therloom is stopped. A further object of the invention, therefore, is to provide manually operable means for rotating the warp beam notwithstanding the operation of the locking mechanism.

Other objects andv features of the inven tion will more fully appear from the fol lowing description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the an nexed claims.

In the drawings: 111g. 1 we side elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the locking i mechanism as applied to the shaft'of a hand wheel which is manually the warp beam, I

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the manner in which the ratchet, which comprises a part of the locking mechanism, is frictionally secured on the shaft of the hand wheel, and,- Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the clutch shifting mechanism for starting and stopping the loom through which the-locking mechanism for the tension applying means 1S actuated. I

The invention is illustrated herein as ap plied to thewell known Northrop type of loom, but it will be understood that it may be embodied in other types of looms within the spirit and scope of the claims herein.

The loom illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises side frames 1 which support the usual mechanism of the 100m ineludingv bearings for the various shafts thereof. In the present instance a supplemental frame is provided which comprises standards 3 which may rest at their lower ends upon thelloor and at their upper ends carry a transverse member or beam ll which is connected to the loom side at one end, (the left), by a suitable strut or beam, and at the other end by a spacing rod 5 preferably having reduced end portions which are rigidly connected respectively to the cross beam 4 and the loom side 1. The spacing rod 5 also serves to support a slidable memberof the clutch actuating mechanism as will hereinafter more fully appear. 1

The driving shaft 6 ofthe loomis journalled in suitable bearings in the loom side and in a bearing 7 which is mounted upon the transverse beam 4: of the supplemental frame. Power is applied to the driving shaft 6 through a pulley 8 which is rotatably and slidably mounted on the drivingshaft 6, said pulley being provided with a clutch member which is adapted to engage a co-op crating clutch member fixedly secured to said main driving shaft.

Any suitable means may be utilized for shifting the pulley to cause engagement and operable to rotate disengagement of the clutch members. The preferred mechanism illustrated herein is of the easy shipper type, such as is illustrated in my prior Patent No. 904,450 grant ed November 17, 1908, and the patent to Ambler No. 867,934 granted October 8, 190?, which comprises a lever 9 having a forked end 10 provided with slots to receive pins projecting diametrically oppositely from a sleeve which engages a groove upon the pulley hub.

The lever 9 is provided with a hub 11 which is fulcrumed on a vertical pin carried by a bracket 12 mounted upon the trans verse member 4 of the supplemental frame. The opposite end of the lever 9 is provided with a slot which receives a pin 13 projecting upwardly from a skeleton sleeve or frame 14 which is slidably mounted upon the tie rod 5 which connects the supplemental frame to the loom side.

A spring 15, abu'tting against the end of the skeleton sleeve 14, serves normallyto force the same toward the loom side, thus rocking the lever 9 in a direct-ion to shift the clutch members out of engagement. The clutch shifting lever is moved in the opposite direction through a toggle comprising memhere 16 and 17 pivotally connected respectively to va bosslS upon the skeleton sleeve and to a bracket 19 carried by the loom side, the pivotal connection 20 of the toggle being connected to the forked end 21 of a link 22 which is connected at its opposite end to an arm 23 of the hand shipper lever 24;-

The construction thus described is usual and ,forms no part of my invention except in so far as .this starting and stopping mechanism is employed to actuate the mechanism for locking the tension applying means when the loom is stopped and for releasing said locking means when, or preferably after. the loom is started. 9

The warp beam 25 of the loom is provided with a gear 26 which engages a pinion 27 which is fixedly secured upon the shaft 28 of a brake drum 29. The periphery of the brake drum is engaged by a brake strap 80 which is anchored at one end to a bracket or cross girder 31 se ured to the loom side and is attached at its free end to an arm 32 of a bell crank lever which is pivoted upon a shaft 33 upon the loom side. the opposite end of said bell crank lever being connected by a link 34 to one arm 35 of another bell crank lever, the opposite arm 36 of which is connected to a rod 37 extending to the front end of the loom and provided with usual means for adjusting the tension upon the brake strap 30. whereby the amountof ten-- sion applied to .the warp may be adjusted.-

As illustrated herein the warp 88 runs from. the warp beam oreifiguide rolls and 40 and a whip roll 41 through harnesses not shown and across the lay 42., and the lot-h.

passes around the sand roll 43 and the positively driven take-up roll 44 to the usual cloth roll, not shown, the construction thus described beingof a usual type.

It is desirable that means shall be provided for rotating the warp beam after the tension upon the brake strap has been adjusted for the predetermined working conditions of the loom. In the present invention this is accomplished through a hand Wheel 45, located above the lay in convenient reach of the operator, upon the end of a rod 46 which extends downwardly and rearwardly and is provided with a beveled pinionv 47 which engages a beveled gear 48 which is secured to the brake drum 29 or to the brake drum shaft 28.

It is found that during the stoppage of a loom which is provided with a frictional let-off, the strain upon the warp will cause a rotation of the warp beam notwithstanding the resistance of the braking mechanism therefor. and that when the operation of the loom is resumed a thin place in the cloth is produced. The present invention contemplates broadly the provision of means for locking the warp beam against rotation during the stoppage of the loom. A preferred mechanism for accomplishing this purpose, which is disclosed herein, comprises a look ing device which is rendered effective upon actuation of the stop mechanism and which preferably is released by the same mechanism when the latter is actuated to start the loom. 4

In the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein the locking mechanism coin arises a ratchetcarried by the hand wheel rod 46 which is engaged by pawl which is controlled by the movrunent of the clutch actuating lever 9. The ratchet 49 of this locking mechanism preferably is rotatably mounted upon a sleeve 50 having a hub 51 which is fixedly secured by a pin 52 to the hand wheel rod 46, a washer 53 being interposed between the ratchet 49 and the hub 51. The opposite side of the ratchet 49 is engaged by a washer 54 which is clamped upon it by a collar 55 engaged by suitable nuts 56 and. 57 having screw threaded engagement with the end of the sleeve 50, (see Figure 3). By reason of this construction the ratchet 49 can be frictiona'llyolamped upon the rod 46 in such a manner that the hand wheel may be rotated manually to adjust the warp beam even though the latter is locked against rotation by the strain of the warp, it being only necessary to supply sufiicient power. to the hand wheel to overcome the friction in the connection between :the ratchet 49 and the members which secure it upon the hand wheel rod. i nysuitable mechanism, either manually o crated or automatically operated, may be employed to cooperate with the ratchet 49130 lock the warp beam against rotation. As illustrated herein the cooperating member comprises a pawl 58 which pivotally mounted. upon a stud 59 upon the upper end of a bracket 60 having an oti-sot q rhieh is secured to the loom side ta" 6:). The pawl 58 is provided with a counterweight 6 which tends to force the pawl into ment with the ratchet. The pawl, n I is normally withheld from sub 0. moment during the running oi the loom by a mechanism which controlled by the clutch shitting lever 9.

In the present construction the awl is )rovided with a downward extension (i l having a slot 65 which engaged by the offset upper end 66 oi a link 67, the lower end of which .is connected to the arm 66 o l' a bell crank lever which is pivotally mounted. upon a stud 69 pro jectin g "mm a downward extension 70 of the bracket 60. The other arm '71 of said bell crank lever intends into the slot in the end portion ot the clutch shitting arm 9 which receircs the stud it.)

upon the skeleton sleeve 14.

When in the operation of the machine the shipper 2a is released from operative position andmoved rearwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the clutch shifting arm 9 is moved laterally, (to the right), by the spring 15. This movement forces the lower end. of the arm 71 laterally, thus raising the arm 68 and link 67 and permitting the counterweight63 to force the pawl 58 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 49. This locking engagement holds the hand wheel rod a6 against rotation and since the beveled pinion 47 is fixedly secured to the hand wheel rod and'engages the gear 49 upon the brake drum, the brake drum is likewise locked against rotation As the gear 27 on the brake drum shaft engages the gear 26 upon the warp beam the warp beam is also looked against rotation and the original tension thereby maintained upon the warp during the stoppage of the loom.

In order to prevent any slackness in the warp when the locking mechanism is re leased and to insure the maintenance of a uniform tension upon the warp it is desirable that the locking means should remain in locked. position until after the mechanism of the loom is started. This is readily accomplished. by making the slot 65 of suflicient length to provide a certain amount of lost motion for the end 66 of the link 67 before it eifectively engages the pawl to withdraw it from the ratchet 49. It will, therefore, be obvious that when the shipper lever is moved to operative position, and the toggles l6 and 17 straightened. a suiiioient movement of the skeleton sleeve 14 may take place to cause the clutch shifting lever 9 to start the loom before the oifset end 66 of the rod 67 has engaged the end of the slot 65 so as to withdraw the pawl 58 from engagement with the ratchet ll-.9, Consequently the locking mechanism is not released until after the loom is started and the take-up roll. sun iciently rotated to maintain the predetermined tension upon the warp.

Furthermore, by reason of the capability to rotate the warp beam through the hand wheel 45, notwithstanding the fact that the warp beam is locked against rotation by the strain upon the warp, suitable adjustments in tension may be made by the operator Without varying the predetermined tension upon the brake band which controls the tension upon the warp during the operation of the loom.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive, that various modifications may be made in construction, and arranqement of parts. It will also be understood that the principles of this invention may be applied to various other types of looms and machines in which it is desirable to look a frictional. let-off mechanism against rotation. which might be v caused by conditions arising; during the stoppage of the loom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. in a loom comprising a warp'beam and frictional means for applying tension upon the warp, starting and stopping mechanism and means automatically operable thereby upon the stoppage or" the loom for looking the tension applying means to prevent yielding of said tension applying: means by the action of the warp during the stoppage of the loom.

it In a loom comprising a warp beam and Frictional means for applying tension upon the warp starting and stopping mechanism, means autou'iatically operable thereby upon the stoppage of the loom for locking the tension applying means to prevent yielding of said tension applying means by the action of the warpcuring the stoppage of the loom and automatically operable to release said locking means after the loom is started whereby the tension upon the warp at all times will. be maintained.

3. In a loom comprising a warp beam and frictional means for applying tension upon the warp starting and stopping mechanism, means automatically operable thereby upon the stoppage of the loom for locking the tension applying means to prevent yielding of said tension applying means by the action of the warp during, the stoppage of the loom and manually operable means for rotating said warp beam while the tension applying means is locked.

l. In a loom comprising; a warp beam and frictional means for applying tension upon Cit the warp and stop mechanism for arresting the operation of the loom, automatically operable by said stop mechanism to lock said tension applying means when said stop mecha m is actuated to stop the loom.

In a loom conuprisin a warp beam and frictional means for ap 3 tension upon. the warp and stop mechanism for arresting the operation of the loom, means automatically operable by said stop mechanism to lock said tension applying means when said stop mez-lnznism is actuated to stop the loom and to release said locking means after said mechanism is actuated to start the loom.

6. In a loom comprising a warp beam and frictional means for applying tension upon the warp and clutch shifting means for starting and stopping the loom, means automatically operable by said clutch shifting means, when actuated to stop the loom, to lock said tension applying means.

7. In a loom comprising a warp beam and frictional means for applying tension upon the warp and clutch shifting means for starting and stoppingthe loom, means automatically operable by said clutch shifting means, when actuated to stop the loom, to lock said tension applying means, and operable, when said clutch shifting means is actuated to start the loom, to release said locking means after the loom is started.

8. In a loom comprising a warp beam provided with a gear and means for applying tension to the warp including a brake and a brake drum having a shaft provided with a pinion engaging the gear on said warp beam, starting and stopping mechanism and means automatically operable thereby upon stoppage of the loom for locking said brake drum against rotation.

I 9. In a loom comprising a warp beam provided with a gear and means for applying; tension to the warp including'a brake and a brake drum having a shaft provided with a pinion engaging the gear on said warp beam, starting and stopping mechanism, means automatically operable thereby upon stoppage of the loom for locking said brake drum against rotation, and manually operable means for rotating said warp beam notwithstanding the locking of said tension applying means.

10. In a loom comprising a warp beam provided with a gear and means for applying tension to the warp including a brake and a brake drum having a shaft provided with ars including a pinion engaging the gear on said warp beam, a hand wheel having a shaft provided with a pinion engaging a gear on said brake drum shaft, a ratchet on said ha d wheel shaft, a pawl tending to on age ratchet, but normally held out 01 engagement therewith, starting and stopping mechanism and means operable thereby upon the stoppage of the loom for causing said pawl to engage said ratchet and thereby lock the tension applying mechanism.

11. In a loom comprising a warp beam provided with a gear and means for applying tension to the warp including a brake and brake orum having a shaft provided with gears and including a pinion engaging the gear on said warp beam, a hand wheel having a shaft provided with a pinion ena gear on said brake drum shaft, a ratchet on said hand wheel shaft, adjustable frictional means for securing said ratchet to said hand wheel shaft, a pawl tending to engage said ratchet, but normally held out of engagement therewith, clutch mechanism for stopping and starting the loom and means operable by the actuation of said clutch mechanism to start the loom to permit said pawl to engage said ratchet and thereby lock the tension applying means.

12. In loom comprising a warp beam pro vided with a gear and means for applying tension to the warp including a brake and a brake drum having a shaft provided with gears and including a pinion engaging the gear'on said warp beam, a hand wheel havin a shaft provided with a pinion engaging a gear on said brake drum shaft, a ratchet on said hand wheel shaft, adjustable frictional means for securing said ratchet to said hand wheel shaft, a pawl tending to engage said ratchet, but normally held out of engagement therewith, clutch mechanism for stopping and starting the loom, means 0perable by the actuation of said clutch mechanism to start the loom to permit said pawl to engage said ratchet and thereby lock the tension applying means and operable by the movement of said clutch mechanism in a direction to start the loom to release said looking means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

